NAICS 23

Construction in Grand Forks, ND

Metro Market Score 45.5 (Moderate), ranked #151 of 342 metros. 407 establishments, 2,978 jobs.

Metro Market Score 45.5

Favorable 0-35

Moderate 35-48

Challenging 48-60

Difficult 60+

Moderate

ⓘ Lower is better. Relative to national construction average.

Employment in Grand Forks's construction sector grew faster than most metros last year, pushing its growth trend index to 70.5. Combined with a 45.5 market score, this metro sits in the upper half for overall conditions.

Industry Concentration

63.5

LQ: 1.08

Rank #217 of 342 metros

Wage Competitiveness

60.5

$74,754 avg wage

Growth Trend

↑ 70.5

Employment growth index

Rank #102 of 342 metros

Wage Pressure

28.2

YoY wage change index

407 Construction Firms in Grand Forks

407

Establishments

+6.8% YoY

2,978

Total Employment

+4.3% YoY

$74,754

Average Annual Wage

+2.1% YoY

1.08

Location Quotient

Above national avg

Within North Dakota

#1 of 2

construction metros in state

North Dakota state rank

#47 of 51

for construction entry risk

vs State Median

-9.1

better than median (54.6)

Grand Forks vs North Dakota Statewide

How this metro's construction market compares to North Dakota overall. The state ranks #47/51 for entry risk.

Measure	Grand Forks	ND Statewide
Overall Score	45.5 Moderate	58.3 High
Score Type	Metro Market Score	Entry Risk Score
Rank	#151 of 342 metros	#47 of 51 states

Metro and state scores use different methodologies (metro has 4 QCEW-based metrics; state adds BDS survival and momentum data). Direct score comparisons are approximate.

Other Industries in Grand Forks

Real Estate and Rental and Leasing 23.1 Finance and Insurance 38.1 Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services 42.0 Accommodation and Food Services 43.1 Retail Trade 47.2 Other Services 47.6 Information 62.6 Healthcare and Social Assistance 68.2

Construction in Other North Dakota Metros

Fargo 54.6 #241/342

Construction Metros With Similar Conditions

Metros within 5 points of Grand Forks's 45.5 score. Useful when comparing markets with comparable entry profiles.

Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent, FL 45.4 #150/342 Decatur, AL 45.4 #149/342 Monroe, MI 45.3 #148/342 Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA 45.7 #152/342 Farmington, NM 45.2 #147/342 Mobile, AL 45.8 #153/342 Corvallis, OR 45.0 #146/342 State College, PA 46.0 #154/342 Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin, FL 44.9 #145/342 Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH 46.1 #155/342

Construction in States Bordering North Dakota

State-level entry risk for construction in adjacent states. Use this to weigh cross-border options.

South Dakota 34.7 #9/51 Minnesota 37.3 #14/51 Montana 45.0 #28/51

Browse Construction in Other States

State-level entry risk reports for construction across all 51 markets, sorted by rank.

About Metro Market Score: A weighted composite of industry concentration (25%), wage competitiveness (25%), wage pressure (20%), and employment growth trend (30%). Lower scores indicate more favorable conditions. For Grand Forks's construction sector, the industry concentration component (63.5) has the strongest pull on the composite. Metro scores use QCEW data only (no BDS survival data at metro level). Read full methodology →

Data Sources

Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW), Bureau of Labor Statistics. MSA-level establishment counts, employment, wages, and location quotients for the Grand Forks, ND-MN MSA area.

Data period: 2024. Last updated: April 2026.

Metro Market Assessment